updated 02:45 pm EDT, Mon August 20, 2007

Nokia N95 8GB at FCC

Two of Nokia's most anticipated North American phones have been proven real today, courtesy of new FCC filings. The N95 8GB is now known to come in black instead of the characteristic silver color and now has raised media controls that should be easier to strike. No mention has been made of the microSD slot of the original model, however, suggesting that the 8GB of flash memory will be the only storage option. This version will also omit the HSDPA broadband of the intended North American version in favor of Europe-only 2,100MHz UMTS despite supporting North American GSM calling and EDGE Internet access.

Bluetooth, GPS, and Wi-Fi carry over from the original N95, as does the smartphone's defining 5-megapixel camera, which now rests completely flush with the back. Launch information is unsurprisingly absent from the FCC release, though the manual clearly points to the N95 8GB's release in North America, where it will likely go on sale as an unlocked phone for use with SIM cards from compatible providers, such as AT&T, Rogers, and T-Mobile.

A second filing from the company also points to the Nokia 6263, a so far unannounced variant on the Nokia 6267 with 3G Internet access over the same 1,700MHz UMTS band that will be used by T-Mobile as soon as next month with the Samsung t639. Although unconfirmed, the phone is unlikely to change the rest of its features with the update and will still share the 2-megapixel camera, FM tuner, and microSD storage as the original. Its precise release date is unknown but may follow simultaneously with or shortly after that of the Samsung device. [viaWireless Info]